How to Get from Berlin to Leipzig: Train and Bus Options
Are you interested in learning how to get from Berlin to Leipzig? In this post, I’ll show you options for taking the train from Berlin to Leipzig and for taking the bus from Berlin to Leipzig.
Leipzig is a great city to add to your trip to Germany, whether it’s a day trip to Leipzig from Berlin or the next destination on your vacation. This interesting city is full of beautiful sights, and it’s well worth visiting on an eastern Germany itinerary.
It’s not too far from Berlin, so the logistics are pretty straightforward. Keep reading for details on getting from Berlin to Leipzig.
Book a tour for your trip to Leipzig
If you’re visiting Leipzig, a sightseeing tour like this one could be the perfect way to see a lot of sights in a short amount of time.
Where to stay in Leipzig
Leipzig is such a fantastic city, you can easily spend a night or two there. Here are some hotels we recommend for an overnight trip to Leipzig.
Hotels in Leipzig
A guide for how to get from Berlin to LeipzigHow to get to Leipzig from Berlin
Traveling from Berlin to Leipzig is easy when you know how to do it.
What is the distance from Berlin to Leipzig?
The driving distance from Berlin Hbf to Leipzig Hbf is 182km (113 miles) so it’s not too far. However, it can take anywhere from two to three hours to drive depending on which route you choose, traffic conditions, and any road work that might be happening.
Plus parking isn’t easy in central Berlin or central Leipzig, and you have to understand German driving laws. Unless you have a compelling reason to drive, I recommend taking an option that’s less stressful.
That’s why I have all the details you need for taking the bus or train from Berlin to Leipzig.
St Nicholas Church in Leipzig played a big role in the eventual end of communist rule in East Germany
How to Get from Berlin to Leipzig by Train
Getting around in Germany using Deutsche Bahn is pretty simple, and getting from Berlin to Leipzig is no exception.
There are direct high speed (ICE) trains from Berlin Hauptbahnhof to Leipzig Hauptbahnhof roughly once an hour. The travel time is between 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 35 minutes.
ICE are Inter City Express trains, which are high speed trains that make fewer stops than other types of trains. Most ICE trains going to Leipzig Hbf also stop in either Berlin Gesundbrunnen or Berlin Spandau, plus Berlin Südkreuz.
Check which station is closest to where you’re staying in Berlin to see which one makes the most sense. You can also click on the train number to see its full route, including all other train stations in Berlin that train stops at.
The high speed train is your quickest option to get from Berlin to LeipzigUsing the Berlin to Leipzig high speed train
When using the high speed trains, you are usually bound to the exact train you choose, so you can’t hop on any train on that route. So if you booked a train from Berlin to Leipzig for 9am, you must take the 9am train. (These are just example times, not indicative of any actual schedule.)
The exception is if you buy the more expensive Flexpreis (Flexible Fare) ticket that allows this. I generally don’t think it’s worth the extra expense, unless you absolutely need that flexibility.
>>Check prices and schedules on the Deutsche Bahn website.
Using regional trains from Berlin to Leipzig
There are ways of reaching Leipzig from Berlin using only regional trains, but it will take you anywhere from 2 hours 40 minutes to 3 hours 30 minutes and involve switching at least once. And when I searched just a few days from today, there really wasn’t much of a price difference.
If you do decide to use the regional trains, your ticket is valid for any regional train that day. So you can buy a ticket for a train that departs at 9am, oversleep, and grab a 10am train. (Again, these are just example times, not indicative of any actual schedule.)
Another great option is the Quer-durchs-Land-Ticket. This is a Germany day ticket starting at 42 euros which is valid for up to 5 people, so it’s a great deal if you’re traveling with a group and you’re willing to take the slower trains.
Are there seat reservations on trains to Leipzig from Berlin?
This means seats 42 and 44 are not reservedOn high speed trains in Germany, your second class ticket does not come with a seat reservation. This means you can sit anywhere within second class that isn’t already reserved.
Seat reservations cost 4.50 euros, and it’s highly recommended that you reserve. At busy times, the train could be rather full, and having a seat reservation means you won’t get stuck standing.
If you buy a first class ticket, seat reservations are included as long as you select it at the time of booking.
Regional trains do not have seat reservations. But be aware that most regional trains do have a 1st class section.
>>Read: How to Get From Berlin Airport to City Center
How to buy a train ticket from Berlin to Leipzig
There are several ways to buy a train ticket to Leipzig from Berlin, and all are fairly simple. High speed trains are often cheaper if you book several weeks in advance, so planning ahead helps.
They have recently made it harder to buy tickets on the train, and in some cases it’s not even possible. You will get checked almost every time, so don’t get on a train without a ticket.
In person
Deutsche Bahn has ticket offices in the train stations in Berlin, so you can buy a ticket in person. They won’t always speak English though, so this can be tricky.
If you decide to buy your ticket this way, I highly recommend going to Berlin Hauptbahnhof (central station) to buy your ticket. Here you’ll have a better chance of finding an employee who speaks at least some English.
At a machine
There are Deutsche Bahn ticket machines at the train stations, and they have a language option so you can switch it to English. These are the same machines used at Sbahn stations.
Simply follow the prompts to buy your ticket. Remember that times are often displayed in a 24 hour format, so 5pm would be 17:00, as an example.
These are the Deutsche Bahn ticket machines seen at train stations and Sbahn stationsOnline
Tickets can also be purchased on the Deutsche Bahn website, which is also available in English. Once you’re done with your purchase, you’ll get an email with a PDF of your ticket which you can show on the train.
Deutsche Bahn app
The Deutsche Bahn app is also available in English, and it’s easy to use. Once you’ve purchased your ticket, you’ll have it right there in your app.
Types of tickets
Example train ticket optionsWhen buying tickets online, once you put in your start and end cities, date and time info, and number of people, you’ll get a list of routes for that day. Choose a time, and you’ll have different ticket options to choose from, as seen in the photo above.
In general, cheaper tickets have more restrictions. The Sparpreis tickets bind you to the exact train, while the Flexpreis tickets let you take any train on that route that day.
For more detailed info, jump over to my step-by-step instructions on how to book train tickets on Deutsche Bahn.
Are there other companies that run trains from Berlin to Leipzig?
FlixBus also runs FlixTrain, and they do have train routes between Berlin and Leipzig. They have fewer routes, and at the time of writing there are one or two train per day on most days.
FlixTrain’s route from Berlin to Leipzig takes 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes.
The good thing is that if you’re using the FlixBus website and there is a FlixTrain option, it will show up too. And FlixTrain could save you some money versus using Deutsche Bahn, so it’s worth checking.
How to Get from Berlin to Leipzig by Bus
Flixbus is a great budget option for getting from Berlin to LeipzigIf you’re traveling on a budget, FlixBus is another great option. They have several buses per day running between Berlin and Leipzig.
Berlin has bus services from several stations, though not all stations are on every route. The buses to Leipzig from Berlin leave from the central bus station, Südkreuz, Alexanderplatz, or sometimes Wannsee or the BER Airport.
The central bus station, called Berlin ZOB, is located in the western side of Berlin, quite far from the center. Unless you’re staying out that way for some reason, I recommend catching the bus from Südkreuz or Alexanderplatz.
The journey takes between two to three hours to get to Leipzig from Berlin by bus, assuming there are no traffic problems. Most of the buses also stop in Leipzig Messe before Leipzig Hbf, but this is still quite a ways from the center of the city.
FlixBus is a comfortable option that will most likely save you some money in exchange for a little extra time.
It’s always worth comparing Flixbus with Deutsche Bahn to see the price difference and the time difference.
I’ve taken FlixBus more times than I can count, both in Germany and in other parts of Europe. Their buses are comfortable and safe, and I would highly recommend them if you’re trying to save a few bucks.
The buses do have a bathroom, though I can’t vouch for their cleanliness because I do whatever I can to avoid going to the bathroom on moving vehicles.
Leipzig is a great city to add to your Berlin tripAre there seat reservations on buses to Leipzig from Berlin?
FlixBus does have an option to reserve a seat. This is good for people who want to make sure they’re seated with their family or friends, or if you are particular about where you sit.
But buying a ticket guarantees you a seat, so you don’t have to reserve a specific seat if it’s not important to you. Standing is not allowed on long distance buses.
Prices for seat reservations vary depending on the type of seat the route. They range from 1.50 to 5 euros.
How to buy a bus ticket from Berlin to Leipzig
There are a few different ways to book a bus ticket to Leipzig from Berlin.
In person
Technically you can buy a FlixBus ticket from the ticket office at the ZOB (central bus station) but I wouldn’t recommend it.
I’ve definitely been over there to catch a bus and noticed that the office was closed. Even if they were just closed for a short break, this feels too stressful when there are easier ways to book a ticket.
There are multiple travel agents around the city that can book you a FlixBus ticket, but finding them is even more of a hassle.
Online
The FlixBus website is an easy way to book tickets. It’s available in multiple languages.
You can search your route, and it’ll show you all starting and ending points. So if you want to travel from Berlin to Leipzig, you can see which stations the bus leaves from and buy based on that.
Once you’ve purchased your ticket, you’ll get an email with a PDF that you can show the bus driver when boarding the bus.
FlixBus app
The FlixBus app is also easy to use to search for routes and buy tickets. It’s available in multiple languages.
Are there other companies that run buses from Berlin to Leipzig?
Other bus companies operate routes in Germany, but they are not as widespread as FlixBus. I have not seen any others running on the Berlin to Leipzig route.
What’s the cheapest way to get from Berlin to Leipzig?
Ticket prices fluctuate for both the train and the bus to Leipzig from Berlin, but both are affordable.
Taking FlixBus or FlixTrain will often be cheaper than Deutsche Bahn.
While writing this post, I searched for trains and buses just a few days out, and the Deutsche Bahn trains were 24-35 euros, while the bus was 10-16 euros. FlixTrain was 8-20 euros.
But you never know when Deutsche Bahn might be having a sale. Plus if you’re planning your trip well in advance, train tickets will be cheaper than at the last minute, so it’s worth comparing the options.
Both the train and the bus are comfortable, but I’d have to give a little more credit to the train for comfort.
The train is a little faster than the bus. Taking the train will save you anywhere from 50 minutes to an hour and 50 minutes.
The train is less likely to have timing problems, but delays can happen with either the train or the bus. In dozens of trips on FlixBus, I’ve only dealt with a major delay (which was due to an accident miles ahead of us on the highway) one time.
If you’re on a budget, every dollar and euro counts. Budget travelers should weigh the cost savings of the bus against the time savings of the train to Leipzig from Berlin, as well as check out the FlixTrain option.
Book a tour for your trip to Leipzig
If you’re visiting Leipzig, a sightseeing tour like this one could be the perfect way to see a lot of sights in a short amount of time.
Berlin Travel Resources
I want you to have the best trip to Berlin, and hopefully this guide for how to get to Leipzig from Berlin is helpful. But there are lots more tips on the site!
- 101 Best Things to do in Berlin
- 23 Impressive Castles in Berlin (And Nearby)
- 27 Best World War II & Cold War Sights in Berlin
- 29 Fun Day Trips From Berlin
- 75 Things to Know Before Visiting Berlin: Essential Berlin Travel Tips
- What to Wear & What to Pack for Berlin, Germany: Your Ultimate Berlin Packing List
- How to Get Around in Berlin: An Easy Guide to Berlin Public Transportation
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Ali is originally from the US, but she’s been living in Germany since 2011. In 2015, she and her husband moved to Berlin where they now live with their small dog. They even bought an apartment in Berlin in 2021 – Berlin is definitely home now! Ali’s goal is to show you everything you need to know for enjoying a trip to Berlin.
